1] Check the name of the website
Always carefully check the spelling of the website address or URL – if anything is misspelt, it’s likely to be an unofficial site.
2] Check the address
It’s not just the web address you should worry about. It’s well worth checking out the postal address too.
3] Look for the padlock
When you go to pay for your purchases, check the website has a secure way of paying. Make sure you look for the padlock symbol ‘https://’ as opposed to ‘http’ – the ‘s’ signifies it’s secure.
4] Pay carefully
If your order is over £100, one of the best ways to pay is by credit card.
That’s because you’ll be protected by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act (1974), which will give you valuable consumer protection if there’s a problem with your purchases.
If your order is under £100, look to use a Visa debit card so you can make a claim under the Visa Chargeback scheme.
5] Keep your receipt
Once you’ve made your payment, always keep hold of the order confirmation in case of any dispute. That way you’ve got proof of your order and payment.
